Amusing America is the premiere exhibition of the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society, co-sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library with support from the California State Library.

Amusing America is the story of participatory commercial amusements in American cities—San Francisco in particular—and how they changed the way Americans lived. From the Gilded Age of the 1880s to World War II, amusement parks, world’s fairs, arcades, seaside resorts and dance pavilions brought Americans together from all walks of life to share in new forms of leisure and new social relationships.

This online exhibit is a fond look back at some of San Francisco’s favorite entertainments and amusements.

Amusing America is curated by Ink Mendelsohn, San Francisco Museum and Historical Society.

The online exhibit was created by the San Francisco Public Library.

All images courtesy of the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library unless otherwise noted.

This project was supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Service and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.